IP Library Granted Patent US 10,360,947
Granted Patent B2
US 10,360,947 · App. 15/692,508 · Granted Jul 23, 2019

NAND cell encoding to improve data integrity

Inventors: Tyson M. Stichka (Boise, ID); Preston Thomson (Boise, ID); Scott Anthony Stoller (Boise, ID); Christopher Bueb (Folsom, CA); Jianmin Huang (San Carlos, CA); Kulachet Tanpairoj (Santa Clara, CA); Harish Singidi (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C5/005G11C7/04G11C16/0483G11C16/26G11C16/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,360,947
App. No.
15/692,508
Granted
Jul 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices and techniques for NAND cell encoding to improve data integrity are disclosed herein. A high-temperature indicator is obtained and a write operation is received. The write operation is then performed on a NAND cell using a modified encoding in response to the high-temperature indicator. The modified encoding includes a reduced number of voltage distribution positions from an unmodified encoding without changing voltage distribution widths, where each voltage distribution corresponds to a discrete set of states an encoding.

Claims (56)

1. A NAND device for NAND cell encoding, the NAND device comprising:

a NAND cell; and

a controller to:

obtain a high-temperature indicator;

receive a write operation; and

perform the write operation on a NAND cell using a modified encoding in response to the high-temperature indicator, the modified encoding including a reduced number of voltage distribution positions, resulting in fewer bits stored for each cell, from an unmodified encoding without changing voltage distribution widths, the position of a voltage distribution is defined as a central tendency of a range of voltages bounded by values within half of a width of the central tendency, each voltage distribution corresponding to a discrete set of states in an encoding.

2. The NAND device of claim 1 , wherein the modified encoding includes a different voltage distribution position from a first position unmodified the encoding to a second position in the modified encoding.

3. The NAND device of claim 2 , wherein the second position is within a defined range of voltages.

4. The NAND device of claim 2 , wherein the range of voltages is defined by a read voltage for a state in the discrete set of states for the unmodified encoding that corresponds to the voltage distribution position.

5. The NAND device of claim 2 , wherein the second position increases a read margin for the voltage distribution.

6. The NAND device of claim 1 , wherein the unmodified encoding has eight discrete states.

7. The NAND device of claim 6 , wherein the modified encoding has four discrete states.

8. The NAND device of claim 7 , wherein the write operation is performed in two passes, the first pass operating in accordance with parameters of the unmodified encoding, and the second pass operating to enact the modified encoding.

9. The NAND device of claim 8 , wherein the four discrete states correspond to states three, four, and seven from the eight discrete states, the states ordered by voltage from lower to higher.

10. The NAND device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is arranged to perform a read operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding.

11. The NAND device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is arranged to:

obtain a clearance of the high-temperature indicator;

perform maintenance on the NAND cell to free the NAND cell for another write operation;

receive a second write operation; and

perform the second write operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding in response to clearance of the high-temperature indicator.

12. A method for NAND cell encoding, the method comprising:

obtaining a high-temperature indicator;

receiving a write operation; and

performing the write operation on a NAND cell using a modified encoding in response to the high-temperature indicator, the modified encoding including a reduced number of voltage distribution positions, resulting in fewer bits stored for each cell, from an unmodified encoding without changing voltage distribution widths, the position of a voltage distribution is defined as a central tendency of a range of voltages bounded by values within half of a width of the central tendency, each voltage distribution corresponding to a discrete set of states in an encoding.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the modified encoding includes changing a voltage distribution position from a first position in the unmodified encoding to a second position in the modified encoding.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second position is within a defined range of voltages.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the range of voltages is defined by a read voltage for a state in the discrete set of states for the unmodified encoding that corresponds to the voltage distribution position.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second position increases a read margin for the voltage distribution.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the unmodified encoding has eight discrete states.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the modified encoding has four discrete states.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the write operation is performed in two passes, the first pass operating in accordance with parameters of the unmodified encoding, and the second pass operating to enact the modified encoding.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the four discrete states correspond to states three, four, and seven from the eight discrete states, the states ordered by voltage from lower to higher.

21. The method of claim 12 , comprising performing a read operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding.

22. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

obtaining a clearance of the high-temperature indicator;

performing maintenance on the NAND cell to free the NAND cell for another write operation;

receiving a second write operation; and

performing the second write operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding in response to clearance of the high-temperature indicator.

23. At least one machine readable medium including instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a high-temperature indicator;

receiving a write operation; and

performing the write operation on a NAND cell using a modified encoding in response to the high-temperature indicator, the modified encoding including a reduced number of voltage distribution positions, resulting in fewer bits stored for each cell, from an unmodified encoding without changing voltage distribution widths, the position of a voltage distribution is defined as a central tendency of a range of voltages hounded by values within half of a width of the central tendency, each voltage distribution corresponding to a discrete set of states in an encoding.

24. The machine readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the modified encoding includes changing a voltage distribution position from a first position in the unmodified encoding to a second position in the modified encoding.

25. The machine readable medium f claim 24 , wherein the second position is within a defined range of voltages.

26. The machine readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the range of voltages is defined by a read voltage for a state in the discrete set of states for the unmodified encoding that corresponds to the voltage distribution position.

27. The machine readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the second position increases a read margin for the voltage distribution.

28. The machine readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the unmodified encoding has eight discrete states.

29. The machine readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the modified encoding has four discrete states.

30. The machine readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the operation is performed in two passes, the first pass operating in accordance with parameters of the unmodified encoding, and the second pass operating to enact the modified encoding.

31. The machine readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the four discrete states correspond to states three, four, and seven from the eight discrete states, the states ordered by voltage from lower to higher.

32. The machine readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the operations comprise performing a read operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding.

33. The machine readable medium of claim 23 , wherein e operations comprise:

obtaining a clearance of the high-temperature indicator;

performing maintenance on the NAND cell to free the NAND cell for another write operation;

receiving a second write operation; and

performing the second write operation on the NAND cell using the unmodified encoding in response to clearance of the high-temperature indicator.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050709/0838 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2019
From: STICHKA, TYSON M; THOMSON, PRESTON; STOLLER, SCOTT ANTHONY; BUEB, CHRISTOPHER; HUANG, JIANMIN; TANPAIROJ, KULACHET; SINGIDI, HARISH REDDY
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 048745/0380 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0333 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044348/0253 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044653/0333 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190066736A1 · Feb 28, 2019